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5 Decadent Gluten-Free Desserts to Bake for the Holidays

by Gabriella Vigoreaux

on 11/14/14 at 10:36 AM

The holidays can be a tough time for those with gluten sensitivities. Bakeries and coffee shops are filled to the brim with tempting wheat-filled cookies, cakes, and pies and if you're lucky there might be one gluten-free option available. Then there's the countless invites to holiday parties where you usually can't even eat half of what's available.

That's why we gathered some of our favorite gluten-free desserts, including three brand new recipes, that are just perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, or even just some leisurely Sunday baking. From a chocolatey hazelnut cream pie to a decadent salted caramel risotto, everyone will flip for these insanely delicious desserts no matter their dietary needs or restrictions.

Your favorite holiday cookie gets a gluten-free makeover with this recipe from Alice Medrich's Flavor Flours. Buckwheat, despite its name, is actually gluten free and its earthy flavor pairs beautifully with dark berry or cherry preserves. These may seem like a hassle, but they are actually just slice and bake cookies with holes cut out of the middle. You could always freeze the logs of dough in advance so you have it at the ready for your holiday cookie baking.

Usually with rice puddings, the grains are cooked continuously in milk or cream, which makes a slightly wet mixture. Here, only a touch of milk is used and the rice is folded into an intensely rich and dark caramel for a truly decadent gluten-free dessert.

This gluten-free take on cheesecake from Green Kitchen Travels is sweet and moist from the ricotta, but completely free of flour or refined sugars. The cake is instead sweetened with honey and topped with flaked almonds for a satisfying crunch. Make this cake a day in advance for a creamier flavor, and get your hands on some sheep's milk ricotta if you can. It does wonders for the flavor.

Oats are naturally gluten-free but they are usually processed in facilities that also deal with wheat. To avoid any cross-contamination, be sure to buy gluten-free oats for the crumble on this wheat and dairy-free dessert. These little lemon puddings get their creaminess from silken tofu and the thyme adds a savory note to the buttery crumble.

This decadent pie comes from one our favorite new Gluten-Free dessert cookbooks by Nicole Spiridakis, Flourless. The crowd pleasing combination of hazelnuts and chocolate form the base for the crust, which houses a silky smooth and chocolatey filling. Top this off with a generous pile of coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and watch the whole pie disappear in minutes.